TL;DR
- Hundreds of LGBTQ Catholics joined a Holy Year pilgrimage to Rome.
- Pope Francis’ welcoming stance is credited for this shift in tone.
- Pope Leo XIV appears to be continuing Francis’ inclusive legacy.
- For many, it marked their first time feeling truly accepted by the Catholic Church.
- Pilgrims say it’s a turning point for queer visibility in faith spaces.
Pilgrimage of Pride
In a scene that felt like history being rewritten with a rainbow pen, hundreds of LGBTQ Catholics and their families flocked to Rome for the Holy Year Jubilee — and for once, they weren’t just tolerated, they were celebrated. The grand Chiesa del Gesù echoed with applause as Bishop Franceseco Savino reminded the packed crowd that Jubilees were always meant to uplift the marginalized. “It is time to restore dignity to everyone, especially to those who have been denied it,” he declared, and the room erupted like someone had just announced bottomless mimosas at Mass.
Once relegated to whispers and back pews, queer Catholics walked through the St. Peter’s Basilica Holy Door like they owned the place — because honestly, they do. Leading the charge was Jonathan’s Tent, an Italian LGBTQ advocacy group, alongside U.S. allies from DignityUSA and Outreach. For some, it was redemption decades in the making. “Twenty-five years ago, we were treated as a threat,” said Marianne Duddy-Burke of DignityUSA. “To now be recognized fully as who we are — faith and identity together — is a day of great celebration and hope.”
The Francis Effect
Many pointed squarely to Pope Francis as the reason the rainbow finally broke through the Vatican’s gray skies. From his now-iconic 2013 “Who am I to judge?” comment to his decision to let priests bless same-sex couples, Francis cracked open a door that had been bolted shut for centuries. While he never rewrote doctrine, he made it clear that being gay isn’t a crime — a radical departure from the old guard.
For John Capozzi of Washington D.C., that meant coming home to the church after decades away. “There was that feeling like I wasn’t welcome,” he said. “With Pope Francis, I was able to come out and say, ‘Hey, I’m Catholic and I’m proud of it.’” His husband Justin del Rosario stood beaming beside him, saying Francis “influenced me to return,” while Pope Leo XIV “only strengthened my faith.”
Leo Carries the Torch
If there was doubt about whether Pope Leo XIV would slam the door Francis cracked open, it’s fading fast. Though old remarks from 2012 painted him as critical of the “homosexual lifestyle,” Leo has since embraced Francis’ inclusive playbook. In a private audience with James Martin, a prominent Jesuit advocate for LGBTQ Catholics, Leo reportedly said he planned to continue Francis’ policies of welcome. Martin left the meeting confident: “I heard the same message from Pope Leo that I heard from Pope Francis — the desire to welcome all people, including LGBTQ people.”
Bishop Franceseco Savino confirmed Leo personally gave his blessing for the LGBTQ pilgrims’ Mass, signaling that the new pope isn’t just tolerating them — he’s cheering them on. For the first time, queer Catholics aren’t peering in through stained glass windows; they’re front and center at the altar, holding hands, holding faith, and holding their heads high.
A Church Rewritten in Rainbow
For a community long told they had to choose between their identity and their spirituality, this pilgrimage was nothing short of revolutionary. The queer faithful came to Rome carrying decades of pain — from the AIDS crisis to years of institutional rejection — and left with something closer to peace. As Father Fausto Focosi put it during a tearful vigil, “Our eyes have known the tears of rejection… Today, however, there are other tears, new tears… tears of hope.”
And that’s the headline here: hope. Not just for the pilgrims who walked through those ancient doors, but for LGBTQ Catholics everywhere who’ve been praying for a seat at the table. This time, the Vatican didn’t just open the door — it pulled out the fancy chairs.